Perotssiotf-tfttse



A. S. BALDWIN.

PERCUSSION FU'SE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 1.19m.

1,31 1,673. Patented July 29, 1919.

THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH cm, WASHINGTON, D. c.

vAit'r nifn s. mm'wiit; on B LT ORE, MABYILAND:

v rE'itcri'ssjioir -rueel;

Specification of Letters Iateut. Patented Applic'at-ibn-fileli fie-triiaryi', 1m; seriarnd. 147,111.

a specification:

This invention relates toimprovements inpercussion fuses for shellsor projectiles, andhas particular reference to that class of? fuses knownas inertia-operated fuses' wherein the firing pin isnormally held in ztisalfety' position and becomes armed upon the-shell;

or projectile-beingfiredfrom a gun.--

' The present invention 1s proved means for normally retaining 'the firing pin; in the so-eelledunarmed" or safety position, and to itn' improved'meansfor pre-- venting the firing pin and its-associated de vices from creeping forward toward the rimer cap during the flight of the projeo' tile o'r'shellt V Another object of the invention is to provide an improved construction" of: fuse that Will be simple in constructiolig ztndinexpen s'ivetomanufacture, and which will dispense with theuse of shearpins which let-- t-er, when" sheared; often, are liable to trio-- t-io'nally engage the parts, and, interfere with the freedom of movement that is necessary for a certainty'ofectiom' I With" these, and other objeets' in vieW,- t-he invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing Wher'ein,-

Figure I, shows the improved fuse structure in longitudinal sectiom theffiringj de-- vices being shown in the safety position. f Fig' 2; illustrates the saineiri 'cross-seotion,tli'e section bein' takentn' the line 2+2 of Fig.-1-.

Fig. 3; shows another View of the-fuse devicein"longitudinal s'e'ctionf-the firing devioes being in the armed position, and i Fig; 4; illustrates zt'cross seotional detail through the s'anie,'the" section being taken on'tlieline l-4-ofFigl 3. i 1

Referring to the drawing the} numeral 5, designates the ease or stock having: enterlor screw -threads 6; and an interior circular chamber 7 extending longitudinally therein; T-lie'inner end of the chamber/7 is closed; byaf' oap*8, in which is'locatedj' a; primerji), and a'nlztd'clitional powder charge'IO; which latter; when detonated, fires; the main charge inthe shell bodyinthe usual way.

directed to A plunger body ll is positioned in: the

chamber 7 ,--ofthe case or stj'o'olq is forrn'e'd of niet'al; and has a3 cross-sectional shape in conformity to the shape of the said chamber'. 'This lunggrer body a central upper passage l2gfvvh'ich: e'xtend's longitudinally therein and is also pr vided 'Wit'lr a larger longitudinal passage-13, below said passage" 12, for a purpose presentlyto be explainedo T -he botitornof the plunger body also has acircular cavity 14, of a" greater diameter than the passage 13 whereby t'oproducean annular shoulder 1'5; around the bas'e of the passage 13, for purpose" also presently to beexpltiinedr y 5 I In the present instancegth'e' circ'iilztr Gav ity 14, of the plunger body contains a bush ing body 16, Whieh latter has at central pas sage?? This bushingfbody'ha's a" lower bevele'd end 18 which projects below; the lower end of the plunger body 11', and-{the plunger body has its lower end contr'i'c'ted or up set inwardly intoj locking engagement With the beveledend 18, of the bushing body wherebytoefi'eoti'vely lock thetWojbodies-to g'ethjer; and" against} independent longitudi ntt'l movement; Y 7 Q j At theinner end oi? the circular 'cj'avity' 14g, and between {the shoulder 1 5; anti the: upper orji'n'nei end f the bushingbodyg I place disk leg which hitter separates the circu l rg avity upfront'thelongitudinel passage 13,'the dislebeiii of sufficient diameter to proj e'ot beneaththe annular shoulder! 15'.- The firing device proper; thefgforin' of estem withe-plumlit'fi of d'ianietefsfin cirossse'otion,';the-' upper firin'g' pin' e'iid 20;; forming th pin roper, end 'being of a? diameter to" fit thejuppen piissage 12, of the plunger body blnd of" suflioient length; to extend throughthe passage 13; and jinto the upper end of the centralpass-age 17-, of the bushing' body? Thi u'pper end 20;; also passes through' 'a: perforation in the disk 19,jthe' perforation being of" suflic'ienti diameter to effect a snug fit with the end 20;" of the stem.- Immedi tely belbw 'the disk 19; the stern increases in diameter so that a s'h'ou'l 'de r" 21 is formed on the" stei'm a njdi Said shoulder seats or engages tlieuiide-r side of the-disk and is thereby held against in'ove ment in a direction toiWt-i'd-tliepriiiien 9.

The lower end 22; of the firin 'pinstem projects belovv-the end 18', of the bushing body and has a beVeled eXtreinity-QB; which seatsagains'tthe end wall 24,jof the stock or case chamber 7, as clearly seen in Fig. 1, of the drawing. 7

The disk 19, which is interposed between the shoulder 15, of the plunger body and the shoulder 21, of the firing-pin stem is preferably of a material such as copper that may be punctured by the stem-shoulder 21, under the action of a blow or shock, such as will be imparted when the fuse is projected from a gun in a shell.

The inner end of the plunger body is preferably provided wit-h an annular groove or seat 25, while the closing cap 8, at the inner end of the fuse has a coincident annular groove 26, and a coiled spring 27, is seated in these annular grooves and is normally compressed therein between the cap and plunger body.

In operation the parts of the fuse, when attached to a shell, have the relative positions shown in Fig. 1, of the drawing, at

which time, the inner grooved end of the plunger body is seatedagainst the closing cap 8, and the spring 27,fheld com'pressed. This position of the parts is effected through the firing pin, stem, whose outer end is seated against the end wall 24, of the chamber 7 and whose shoulder 21 is seated against the under side of the puncturable disk 19. hen in this, so-called safety position, the firing-pin end 20, of the stem has position inthe passage 12, of the plunger body but sufficiently spaced from the primer 9, to be kept from contact with the latter.

When the shell is fired, the case or stock is driven forward with such force, while the plunger body lags, that the shoulder 21, of the stem is driven throu h'the disk 19, thereby punchin a washer-like portion 28, shown in Fig. 3, plunger body and bushing body to assume a rearward position in the chamber 7, which latter position is aidedmoreor less by the spring 27; When assuming this latter or rearward position, the beveled end 18, of the bushing body is driven with suflicient force against the end wall 24:, to cause .it to become upset, as at 29, in Fig. 3, and thereby rigidly engaged with the beveled end 23, of the firing-pin stem, so that thereafter the stem, plunger-body and bushing-body must move together. This latterposition is what is termed the armed position, because the end 20, of the firing pin is projected beyond the plunger body and may strike the primer when the flight of the shell is suddenlyiarrested, as when it contacts with an object.

During the flight of the shell, and after the firing devices have become armed,'it has been found in practice that there is a liability of the firing devices, including the plunger body and pin, creeping forward and coming in contact with the primer 9, which may detonate the latter and cause a premarom the disk'and allowing the shell strikes and its flight is suddenly arrested.

Having described my mvention what I claim and desire to secure'by United States Letters Patent is,

1. In a fuse device the combination with a case having a chamber, of an explosive element; a plunger in said chamber and having a passage therethrough; a bushing body in the plunger and having a passage coincident with the plunger passage; a firing stem ex tending through the bushing body passage and projecting into the plunger passage; meansbetween the bushing body and plunger andvengaging the firing stem and yielding means to hold the stem against creeping toward the explosive element during flight of the shell.

2. In a fuse device the combination with a case having a chamber, of an explosive element; a plunger in said chamber and having a passage therethrough; a bushing body in the plunger and having a passage coincident with the plunger passage; a firing stem extending through the bushing body-passage and projecting into the plunger passage; a disk interposed between the bushing body and the plunger and engaging the firing stem said disk'being out by the plunger upon the shockof firing, and means for locking the bushin body and firing stem together when the dlsk is cut.

3. In a fuse device the combination with a case having a chamber, of an explosive element; a plunger in said chamber and having a passage therethrough; a bushing body in the plunger and having a passage coincident with th plunger passage; a firing stem extending through the bushing body-passage and projecting into the plunger passage; a disk interposedbetween' the bushing body and the plunger and engaging the firing stem said disk being cut by the plunger upon the shock of firinggand yielding means to hold the stemfagainst creeping toward the explosive element during flight of the shell.

4E. In-a fuse device the combination with a case having a chamber, of an explosive element; a plunger in said chamber and having a passage therethrough; a bushing body in the plunger and having a passage coincident with the plunger passage; a firing stem extending through the bushing body-passage and projecting into the plunger passage; a disk encircling the firing stem in said passages and interposed between the stem and the plunger to prevent movement between the plunger and stem; means for locking the plunger, bushing body and stem together upon the shock of firing and a spring between the plunger and explosive element to prevent the firing stem creeping toward the explosive element during flight of the shell.

5. In a fuse device the combination with a case having a chamber, of an explosive element; a plunger-body in said chamber said plunger-body having a central passage at its inner end, an enlarged cavity in its opposite end and an intermediate passage larger than said passage and smaller than said cavity; a bushing-body in the enlarged cavity of the plunger-body and projecting from the end thereof said bushing-body having a central longitudinal passage; a puncturable disk in the inner end of the plunger-body cavity and held therein by the bushing-body and a stem extending through central passage of the bushing-body and having a reduced end that passes through the disk and projects freely through the intermediate passage and enters the smaller central passage of the plungerbody.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

ARTHUR S. BALDWIN.

Witnesses:

FRANCIS S. STIERTZ, WM. M. TUCKER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

